Fluency with teenagers
Hi! My name is Kaitlyn and I am a second year grad student. Currently, I am working as an assistant in the public school. One child I have on my caseload specifically is 13 and has been in speech therapy since he was in 1st grade. This year has been a tough year for him, he frequently requests to be dismissed (his mom wants him to continue services), is on a different campus now that he is in junior high, was forced his parents to quit his football team, and recently quit band due to a situation with the director making demeaning comments regarding his stutter. I feel pretty overwhelmed with how to navigate his situation. I want to advocate for him, but also teach him to advocate for himself. He is quite vague when asked questions about associated feelings about these situations and his fluency, so I frequently feel like I should pull back and not press further. Any advice?
Dear Kaitrobinson,
HI! Thank you for writing and asking questions and thank you for advocating for your clients.
Advocating is an important skill, which I’m glad you asked about this. We all need to learn to advocate for ourselves, and others. Can I ask a question, did you mean to say his parents forced him to quick football? I was a little confused. No matter, the band director making comments about his stutter is not allowed, or acceptable. That is where we, as adults need to step in and advocate. You could go to the band director first, and then to the principle. Of course talking with the boy about it so you know YOU believe in him and that you will help him advocate.
I just reread your email and you said you are an assistant. I might suggest you get your lead therapist involved. There is no room for any adult, especially a teacher to say anything demeaning about a student. In this case stuttering.
It is our job to model for our clients. We need to model advocacy too. Perhaps he is not share much because he might not trust adults because it seems like some adults have let him down. You have a chance to be an adult that he can count, trust, and see as someone who will model advocatcy.
Now, this is not easy. I will not say that. However, being a leader, as we are, is not easy. Think long term. If he sees no adult doing anything to help him, what will he like as an older adolescent or adult.
Just on thought.
Let me know what you think.
With compassion and kindness,
Scott
Hi Kaitlyn,
Sometimes when our questions don’t get answers, it helps to try and ask them differently.
This person, for instance, does not respond when asked what he ‘feels’ about his stuttering. Maybe don;t venture there yet? Maybe just go over any speech situation as he faced it, objectively, bit by bit? And while he’s talking to you about what ‘happened’, you might get answers to the other information you’re seeking as well.
The second thing i came across while reading your question is that you seem to want to choose between advocating for him and letting him advocate for himself. Why can’t it be both? As a therapist, it is one of our responsibilities to advocate for our profession and for the people that we aim to help.
In addition to this, approaches based on cognitive behavior therapy usually help those who stutter self reliant enough to cope with negative circumstances surrounding their speech.
But before you choose (or not) to take any of the above advice, do consult your senior therapist (as you mention you are currently assisting someone).
Hope this was useful!
Pallavi